I will be arguing that Disney’s Hercules is an excellent film for providing an introduction to the ancient world through its fun plot that references the Greek myth, the way that the gods are portrayed as heroic figures, and through the colorful sets that show the landscapes in a magical way. Although this movie is about Hercules, it strays from the myth in a very big way. It is understandable to assume that Disney would take some creative liberties to make the story more family-friendly compared to the original myth, but the differences between the two are astronomical. The gods are clearly shown in a very cartoonish and fun way, but how much of this is truthful? The ancient Greek gods are shown in this film is much different as well as they are portrayed in the myths. Lastly one of the more breathtaking parts of this film is the way the setting is shown, the contrast of colors between Mount Olympus and the Underworld shows the clear divide between worlds. Overall, this movie is very enjoyable, but definitely not the most historically accurate of the genre.
